Design of a 0-50 mbar pressure measurement channel compatible with the LHC tunnel radiation environment

The monitoring of cryogenic facilities often require the measurement of pressure in the sub 5'000 Pa range that are used for flow metering applications, for saturated superfluid helium, etc. The pressure measurement is based on the minute displacement of a sensing diaphragm often through contactless techniques by using capacitive or inductive methods. The LHC radiation environment forbid the use of standard commercial sensors because of the embedded electronics that are affected both by radiation induced drift and transient Single Event Effects (SEE). Passive pressure sensors from two manufacturers were investigated and a CERN designed radiation-tolerant electronics has been developed for measuring variable-reluctance sensors. During the last maintenance stop of the LHC accelerator, four absolute pressure sensors were installed in some of the low pressure bayonet heat exchangers and four differential pressure sensors on the venturi flowmeters that monitor the cooling flow of the 20.5 kA current leads of the ATLAS end-cap superconducting toroids. The pressure sensors operating range is about 1000 to 5000 Pa and the targeted uncertainty is +/- 50 Pa which would permit to measure the equivalent saturation temperature at 1.8 K within better than 0.01 K. This paper describes the radiation hard measuring head that is based on an inductive bridge, its associated radiation-tolerant electronics that is installed under the LHC superconducting magnets or the ATLAS detector cavern; and the first operational experience.